So fun! There was plenty of space to run around and the waves were super chill. The rocks were…read moregreat to climb and explore. The little cave and waterfall was super awesome to explore. We had a reception near by and came to hang out here, it was amazing!

Perfect beach day spot, especially with dogs. Lots of little coves and shallow water areas that…read moremake it easy for them to play safely.

This place is such a beautiful place to go hiking, to take your four legged friend, or to go…read morehorseback riding. There are the Ma-le'l Dunes North and the Me-le'l Dunes South, both of which have lots of different trails. We hiked around in the the sand dunes on a trail that led to the beach and it was a beautiful hike. It was nice to hang out on the beach and watch the waves. You can walk along the beach and it's nice that there isn't many people around. We also hiked up the dunes to where the spruce trees met the forest. It was fascinating to see trees in the sand and where the dunes and the forest meet up close. This was such a fun place to explore! There is plenty of parking. There is a bathroom near where you park and doggy bags. Please bring your own doggy bags and leave no trace! This is a beautiful place worth exploring!

We went to the South dunes. North dunes was closed…read more It was pretty nice where my kids rolled around the sand. Unable to sled down with a cardboard box though.

We did a beautiful 2.2 mile loop from the visitor center at Prarie Creek Foothills/Trailhead. It…read morewas a very easy hike and still beautiful. We were able to see Big Tree! Would do it again.

We drove here per a recommendation from someone we talked to where we were camping. We hadn't been…read morehere before and it really was worth checking out! Gorgeous big trees and the information center was awesome as well. Something for everyone visiting here and I did a lot of walking and forest bathing. We visited the "Big Tree".

wow...a literal redwood forest on the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt! we were visiting my kid and he…read morewas showing us around campus. adjacent to the baseball field we saw multiple paths that led into the forest. we dove in and explored..wow just wow!!! first of all we stumbled upon a disk golf course....no real path at this point. some people arrived who were playing so we got out of the way and found a body of water. green but gorgeous! there was a pathway at this point and we followed it ....eventually after so much Beauty we ended up at a grass clearing surrounded by giant trees. it was a park with so many people picnicking and playing lawn sports. then found another forest pathway back to campus. I'm not sure if we actually left campus or not but having this as a backyard is astonishing!

Absolutely magical. Old growth redwoods, tons of banana slugs, and really great hiking trails.read more

I don't think there's a city park that could ever amount to anything more than a reminder of this…read moreone. The scenery is reminiscent of scenes from the movie Excalibur (1981) in that it captures this sense of the ethereal and divine. Thick, lush foliage covers every inch of the hilly trails and you're surrounded on all sides by towering redwoods. Throughout the trail you hear a babbling brook and bird song unlike any I've heard in my life. The experience then ends nearby one of the most beautiful parks I've ever seen in my whole life that sits upon a well tended field that's also surrounded by redwoods and ferns.

Wow, absolute breathtaking. I had to check out of my hotel and had 2 hours to kill before heading…read moreto the airport. I am so glad I stopped here for a short hike! The tall redwoods were mesmerizing, lots of friendly folks on the trail. Some parts were a bit muddy so be careful where you are stepping.

In far northern Humboldt county, is some of the best closed water lagoon kayaking around. Usually…read morecalm waters that make for great kayaking, this lagoon offers easy access for loading and unloading literally right off the 101. This is NOT an RV park, this is only a visitor center with vehicle parking. The visitor center at this lagoon has a nice parking lot area, rest rooms inside (when open) and direct access to the water. There are usually a few people either on the water or hiking/biking at this lagoon, even in the off season locals come here regularly. Some great closed water that makes for some easy kayaking. A cool place to visit and well worth a pull off the next time you're in the area. 5 Star usually calm water. 00347

Easy to find, as it is right off the 101. We parked next to the visitor center for free and were…read moreable to get some breathtaking photos. Looks like an anglers paradise. There is an area where you can back your boat straight into the water.

Gold Bluffs Beach and Campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a remote beach in northern…read moreHumboldt County. I personally love how secluded this beach is that stretches out for miles. This beach is great for walking along the shoreline and/or enjoying a picnic at. In order to get here you will have to drive on a somewhat twisty road for about 6 miles. It is right next to Fern Canyon so I love visiting both at the same time due to the close proximity to one another. There are unique hikes in Fern Canyon due to the fern-covered walls you can walk through. This is such a beautiful area. I have not used the campground and only visited the beach so I can't speak to the campground aspect of this area. It is very peaceful and serene and a place where you can often spot elk.

Gold Bluffs Beach extends for 10 miles along the Humboldt County coast in Prairie Creek Redwoods…read moreState Park. It requires a day use permit to enter because of the volume of visitors that come here. Mostly because popular Fern Canyon is next to it. Gold Bluffs has a campground with 26 sites. Permits are not required if you have camping reservations. To reach Gold Bluffs Beach, you have to drive on a 6 mile windy dirt road called Davison Rd that you can access near the Elk Meadow picnic area. Trailers are not allowed on Davison Road. Visitors will need to pay the day-use fee, or show their federal pass or CA state park passes at the Gold Bluffs Beach entrance station. You can also hike the 11-mile James Irvine loop trail from Prairie Creek Visitor Center. No permit is required if you are hiking. Gold Bluffs Beach was named after a gold discovery in the 1850's that attracted some interest by miners. If you are going to come here, make sure you check out nearby Fern Canyon. It is a must-see! The 1,200 mile California Coastal Trail runs through Gold Bluffs. After hiking Fern Canyon, I walked over to the coast of Gold Bluff to walk in the water and soak in the sun.

Rare and wild dunes north west of Arcata. Lanphere Dunes are accessible only by permit or guided…read moretours. To obtain a permit visitors must first attended a guided tour. Lanphere Dunes on the Samoa Peninsula near Arcata is the northernmost dunes unit that is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The beach at Lanphere is open during daylight hours for those who are walking north from Ma-le'i Dunes. The beach here runs continuously in both directions so once on the beach it is hard to tell where separate dunes unit boundaries are. Pets are not allowed. Contact Friends of the Dunes for a guided tour schedule (707) 444-1397 or visit www.friendsofthedunes.org.

Another hidden gem on the dunes thats rarely accessed or used, this was true on the afternoon of my…read morevisit. Literally unoccupied the whole area was mine unto myself. Permits required for access, the Friends of the Dunes are the caretakers of this natural refuge that is maintained by the US Fish and Wildlife Servuce aa a part of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The solitude, sernenity, the sandy dunes rolling towards the ocean, the brisk winds blowing off the Pacific Ocean made for a moment where you realize how immense, beautiful and powerful mother nature truly is. This pristine area spans several miles in both directions, and there are no boundaries from one dune area to the next so make a note as to where you enter or you may exit a substantial distance from where you began. A guided tour is available through the FotD if you prefer can be schduled as well. Another great hidden gem far behind the Redwood Curtain and one more reason this place is the unique place it is on the far north coast in northern California. 4.5 Stars - rounded up for the sheer beauty this area holds on the Pacific Ocean 00715